With Sony Set to Reveal Playstation 4, When Will Microsoft Respond?

Forbes- Well, with it all but completely confirmed that Sony will be showcasing their next generation console at a special event on February 20th (henceforth called the ‘PS4′ for simplicity’s sake), that seems like it’s not going to be the case.

There’s little point speculating about what exactly the new system will look like. Hardware specs have been rumored for a while now, but we should be content to simply wait three weeks and find out 100% true information instead of guessing at it. The idea is that with this early announcement, Sony will have the console actually released by Holiday 2013. So, where would this leave Microsoft?

@logic I don't believe this hype is for nothing because Ms e3 2012 showing was meh, giving them a better chance at launching a new console then Sony, so counteract that,they bring up next gen talk so Ms isn't the first to bring up next gen.

"having investors would mean it'd have to be something that sells. ie Hardware, not software."

Software doesn't sell?

EDIT: It could be PS4, but it could also be about getting GTAV and GOW: Ascension on Vita. Actually, I'm willing to put my neck out on the line and say that it ISN'T PS4. It's simply going to be 100% Vita/PS3 integration. Every game you download on PSN will automatically be Vita compatible.

I don't believe that Sony would start marketing the PS4 when the Vita is still struggling. Hopefully I'm wrong because Sony will NEED that headstart this go around.

Oh and KZ4 will be on the PS3...not the PS4. Those 30 minutes we saw of Ascension shows that the PS3 still has a hell of a lot of power left. GG won't ignore that 70+ million PS3 install base.

EDIT: Yea, not saying it is PS4 either, it could be any type of new hardware device, but must be something pretty big given the teaser, as i'm sure Sony would know everyone would immediately think PS4 upon seeing it.

"Would have to be much bigger, like buying up a huge company or something."

Yeah that too. It could be anything. Bungie, Respawn, Rockstar. There are MANY other possibilities.

@JP1369- I don't see why people believe that a PS4 announcement could be the BIGGEST thing Sony can announce. The PS4 is guaranteed to come within the next year or so. We ALREADY know its coming at SOME point. A PS4 announcement wouldn't shock anyone. It's too expected.

Sony acquiring Rockstar and/or Bungie would be MASSIVE! That announcement would shock the world!

"I'm sure they are well aware of the hype and would be desperate to avoid any potential backlash."

Sony is NO stranger to backlash. They released a $600 console with a crap online suite, then took away backwards compatibility in future models. Not to mention allowing PSN to be hacked and waiting nearly week to tell consumers that their info was compromised.

The point is, like a crying 4 year old that drops his ice cream on the concrete...gamers forget and move on. If the PS4 isn't announced on the 20th, Sony will find a way to make up for it.

Logic- I highly doubt that they would bring investors in to talk about software that is either about to release or is well into development. And they certainly wouldn't do so to talk about firmware updates involving Gaikai or Vita integration. This whole event reminds me of the PS2 unveil back in March of '99. They showed off their hardware to kill Sega's momentum with the Dreamcast and reduced their competition by one. Now, with the Wii U struggling, it does seem like a smart move to try to stifle any footing Nintendo might gain between now and E3 by using the same tactics. Nintendo revealed their hand at the latest Direct meeting and if Sony can show something really impressive that surpasses anything the Wii U can manage, then Ninty are going to find it even harder to convince gamers to take the plunge. Granted, it isn't as simple as I've just made it sound, but I'm sure Sony is very keen on increasing their chances of leading the next generation in any way possible. Also, as someone here already mentioned, if Sony weren't prepared to show the successor to the PS3 in just over two weeks, then someone should have issued an official denial by now. I'm sure they are well aware of the hype and would be desperate to avoid any potential backlash.

Edit: "Oh and KZ4 will be on the PS3...not the PS4. Those 30 minutes we saw of Ascension shows that the PS3 still has a hell of a lot of power left. GG won't ignore that 70+ million PS3 install base. "

Sony won't make the mistake of releasing an exclusive on their old system when it could just as easily release during the launch window of the new one. They did that with GOW2 and were left without a popular exclusive in that genre for 40 months. Plus, I'm sure their marketing department loves the synergy provided by having multiple sequels with the number 4 (Killzone and Uncharted)release on the PS4.

"I don't see why people believe that a PS4 announcement could be the BIGGEST thing Sony can announce. The PS4 is guaranteed to come within the next year or so. We ALREADY know its coming at SOME point. A PS4 announcement wouldn't shock anyone. It's too expected."

True, we are all expecting it, but we don't as of yet have anything concrete. The rumors have been getting out of control and core gamers and the media are desperate to get a sneak peak at the next offerings from Sony and Microsoft. The fact that they haven't denied it yet says that it's either PS4 or something big enough to overshadow the announcement of a new console. I'm guessing it's a console, because Sony doesn't have the capital to buy Rockstar or to buy Bungie and then shell out money to Activision for any contractual obligations.

"Sony is NO stranger to backlash. They released a $600 console with a crap online suite, then took away backwards compatibility in future models. Not to mention allowing PSN to be hacked and waiting nearly week to tell consumers that their info was compromised."

These are the kind of mistakes any intelligent person would like to avoid. Sony isn't in the same position it was going into this generation and can't afford to keep engaging in stupidity. Also, trying to add credibility to your statement by saying that it's likely to be made by a company prone to making poor decisions shows a lack of logic on your part.

People like us created the hype yes, but Sony knows that they will get blamed if it isn't the PS4, and in a big way. I can't even imagine the hate articles we'd see within hours of the meeting if this were the case. If this truly were the case, then we would use the "we did it to ourselves" argument to say it wasn't Sony's fault, however I would probably say at this point Sony should have stopped those rumors quick because they obviously know what the backlash would be. It would also overshadow the actual announcement they would make which I doubt is something they would want.

watching the tease video of the PS's trademarks SQUARE, CIRCLE, X and TRIANGLE for the 20th is already getting the hype machine running full steam ahead and it will be extremely stupid for Sony to not show anything remotely close to PS4 because admit it, now the hype for PS4 is even bigger than the hype for GTAV and if THAT's not a message to Sony, I don't know what else is!

'Yeah that too. It could be anything. Bungie, Respawn, Rockstar. There are MANY other possibilities.'

Actually i was thinking more along the lines of a hardware company. One that would bring new Hardware to Playstation such as how WiiU first showed off the tablet controller without showing any of the console. If not PS4 then Sony could go the same route having bought a company that is purely focused on VR or advanced techniques with AR/holographics.

The hype is always created by the people. But it was iniciated by Sony. With all the recent rumors about next gen Sony knows that a teaser titled "See the future" will let people believe that they'll announce the PS4 there. If it wouldn't have anything to do with PS4 Sony would have stated that by now.

It has to be the ps4. A lot of info about the system has surface from absolutely no where these past few days. Plus sony knows the hype surrounding the thought of a ps4 announcement. Like ppl say investors were also invited so it has to be hardware announcement.

as a friend told me who WORK!! for Microsoft game division the 720 is still in QUALITY CONTROL stages no RUSHING!!! out this time to beat Sony. he also said it will be release the earliest mid 2014 a maybe showing @ this E3 2013....... so in essence a reversal of event from 2006

Well friend you are wrong,i dont need to mention sources but i can tell you that Microsoft next box have already pass all quality control stages and its in full production has we speak!I i can assure you that the final dev kits are already in the hands of developers,theres actually a very very strict NDA that envolves lots of $$$ if broken between microsoft and third partys and thats the reason the full specs off the next box havent yet come to light .

No body created the hype excpet the media. If they didn't shove twitter comments down our throats, and with all these rumors coming out left and right, no body will be highly speculating about the reveal. Also, the Wall street journal said that sources close to the event say the ps4 will be revealed. This is the wall street journal we are talking about, not a gaming site. Because of the wall street journal, almost every gaming site now believes a ps4 will be announced. The possiblity of it not being a ps4 is very, very low. We will see in 17 days.

In my opinion, Microsoft won't be announcing anything Xbox 3 related until they see what Sony dose with the PSN business model.

MS are under increasing customer pressure to allow online gaming without charging a subscription, with PSN often used as an example of how it could/should be done. I think that MS are waiting to see if Sony goes full pay to play or continue to offer free basic online play.

As an Xbox fan I hope Sony stick to their guns on this one and continue to offer online multiplayer for no charge, thus forcing MS to think about following suit. I cannot see the current Xbox live model being used next gen in it's current form.

If Sony start charging for online play I won't buy the PS4. At least not til the console has enough great single player games. But I sure as hell won't pay an annual fee for something I already payed for. If everybody did that with Xbox360 Online play would be free on it too.

@xxLuckyStrike Single player however is what makes some games be an "interactive" art and an alternative to a more "classic" medium such as a movie or a book to tell a story. Most gamers still buy a game for the single player, if the multiplayer is solid then it is a bonus for them, not the other way around. Only CoD fanboys see MP over SP. Ideally MP should belong to games where MP won't feel out of place and never at the expense of Single Player. If a game is designed ground-up for MP, then it should be priced and market as such -like Warhawk, MAG, etc, without adding a SP campaign just to justify a full price tag -like Starhawk, CoD does lately, etc.

It *was* a massive success this generation, when competition wasn't up to par. But things are changing now, and we already see that live gold subscriber numbers don't increase although the number of console owner keeps on growing. If on the next generation Sony turns their online component up a notch, and with steambox lurking in the background - MS will not be able to convince potential customer why only they charge for online. They might make some money from the people who are willing to pay, but will lose a lot of people who will simply not buy their console (and therefore not buy their games) - and that's a lot of lost $$$.

I really hope they change their tune. I would like to invest in the Xbox next gen if there are more games I want to play on it.

I feel my reason for not buying the Xbox brand in the past have faded away(namely MS makes crap faulty hardware that doesn't last very long...thought this long before the first Xbox came out). The 360 itself has become a solid machine with some games I want to play. But then they went and started really focusing on the casual and by the time I was ready to buy one, their focus shifted from releasing games appealing to me, to one that focused on a concept that I almost completely despise. The few gems in their line up just weren't worth the hardware investment anymore.

Anyhow, paying for online wouldn't be a deal breaker, particularly since I don't play online much. However for those occasions where I do want to go online, I would like to be able to without having to pay for service.

I'd really like to see MS make a value-added subscription service as opposed to a service required one. It's a very different model than they have now, and could potentially make the Xbox a lot more attractive to those that like value in this rather expensive hobby. Arguing among fanboys over two value-added services would be a lot more interesting as well, albeit pretty subjective overall.

I think the count down tells us. June 11th. I don't really play online and I refuse to pay for XBL (not that my 360's being used much these days) I do have PS+ for the Beta's, auto patching and downloadable games. Thats a proper paid for service not £XX internet bill, £40 a year I think on top of that to play online.GOW Judgement's the only 360 purses for me this year.

Uh Microsofts countdown to June. Then Sony responded by stating they will probably be the last to reveal/launch. Then turn around a couple week only to announce a super duper press conference in Feb... Sounds like they don't know what to do.. Lol

This is actually very smart marketing from Sony for a change. The launch of the wiiU didn't go exactly as planned and failed to live up to Nintendo's expectations.

Now with this, Sony is in the driver seat now and all eyes are on them and the ps4. This gives Sony a clear and early edge in the next gen battle cause now everyone Is talking about Sony and the hype train is already boarding.

Once ps4 is unveiled, Sony will ride the hype and momentum all the way till launch And will control next gen with an iron fist just like the ps2 days.

People the Xbox Brand is hot right now whether u like it or not. Xbox went from selling 25M last gen to 70+ million and counting this gen. To say Xbox ain't on a roll shows your simply biased and in denial. An increase in sales each of M$ first two consoles shows a upward trend. And most casuals/kids/young adults are TRENDY.

*Tho I respect Sony's approach to gaming times change. What worked in1996 did not work (as well) thruout 2006-Present.

MS will get the same hype when they announce their system as well. They aren't a podunk company offering something no one cares about. Nintendo even got it with the Wii U. It's nothing special...just something exciting for PS fans, and rightfully so.

@Lucky Yep, and I think a lot of people are really curious what MS, as well as Sony, are going to do to go head to head against each other next gen. It's actually pretty exciting and interesting to wonder and see what these companies will do and if there will be a reversal of fortunes, a complete flop, or if the status quo is maintained.

This next gen ramp up is bringing new life into the community, and we haven't had that for a while now. I'm happy to see people excited again.:)

Good God gamers are the only ones who can turn anything into something negative.You are just as bad as the people wildly predicting things. 'The backlash for Sony not revealing the PS4 will be great'. Backlash for what? Making up your own conclusions and then expecting it to be the PS4? Sony would NOT be inviting the press and their investors if it wasn't something important. Even if it is isn't the PS4 it is at least something that will benefit us all. Cheers if it is a PS4, big whoop if it isn't. All that will happen is we will go back to our PS3 and the games we will still be getting with some new features or other stuff.It's win win.Can't you just get excited without the doom and gloom?

When did gamers become such anal crybabies? 'What if it isn't a PS4?' But what if it is? What will happen if it isn't? Does that change anything we have now? No.Are you going to die? No. Is it Sony's fault that you assumed? No.Just believe what ever you want, lower your expectations if you want or chose to wait and see or whatever but leave the people who want to get excited alone. Let them get excited if they want. Let the media run around wildly. I mean for goodness sake be a man. Nintendo has been disappointing me for years and I am still here and not crying my eyes out.In short if it is a PS4 be happy.If not move on.And if I know gamers even if it is a PS4 we will have to listen a new batch of whining. Why is the controller like that? Why couldn't it be black? Why couldn't the XMB be like this? Why do we have to buy this? Why do we have to wait until fall? Why isn't Uncharted 4 a launch game? Why does the logo look like this Why, why, why, b***h, moan groan. You sound like a bunch of old women. 'Don't run with that because you might fall down.Don't spin around cause you might hurt yourself.Don't get excited because you might be disappointed?' Is that how you live your lives? You don't get excited EVER because you are afraid you might be disappointed?

***"In short if it is a PS4 be happy.If not move on.And if I know gamers even if it is a PS4 we will have to listen a new batch of whining. Why is the controller like that? Why couldn't it be black? Why couldn't the XMB be like this? Why do we have to buy this? Why do we have to wait until fall? Why isn't Uncharted 4 a launch game? Why does the logo look like this Why, why, why, b***h, moan groan. You sound like a bunch of old women. 'Don't run with that because you might fall down.Don't spin around cause you might hurt yourself.Don't get excited because you might be disappointed?' Is that how you live your lives? You don't get excited EVER because you are afraid you might be disappointed?"***

At smashcrashbash, what about the human condition? The wall street journal says its the ps4 reveal (not a gaming site), the media disperse the information, and the people start to believe it. A random commentor says it might not be the reveal, despite what the wall street journal believeing to be 100 percent true, how do you expect people to react?